The present invention relates to outboard trolling motors. In particular, the present invention relates to a mounting mechanism for mounting an outboard trolling motor to a bow of a boat while protecting the trolling motor during unintended impact with underwater obstructions.
Fishing boats and vessels are often equipped with an outboard trolling motor for providing a relatively small amount of thrust to slowly and quietly propel the boat or vessel while an operator is fishing. Although lightweight and easy to maneuver, such trolling motors have long been plagued by their vulnerability to impact with submerged objects such as tree stumps, roots, rocks and the like. These impacts can cause permanent damage to the trolling motor, its mounting structure, the boat itself, or to all three.
Bow mounted trolling motors are especially vulnerable to impacts with submerged objects because such bow mounted trolling motors are positioned in front of the boat. In an attempt to prevent or minimize damage caused by accidental collision with underwater objects, many bow mounted trolling motors are provided with break-away mounts that allow the entire motor assembly to swing or pivot upon impact with a submerged object. To absorb energy and to return the trolling motor to the original, generally vertical, orientation, the mounting mechanisms are additionally provided with springs or other shock-absorbing members.
Many trolling bow motor-mount systems allow the trolling motor lower propulsion unit to pivot both forwardly and rearwardly when encountering underwater obstructions. Although such multi-directional bow mount systems react to obstructions when the boat is moving both forwardly and rearwardly, such systems require springs or other shock absorbing members having a sufficient rigidity so as to withstand the forward thrust generated by the propulsion unit during normal operating conditions. As a result, such systems are generally capable of responding only to extremely large forces during such collisions.
As an alternative, other trolling motor bow mount systems allow uni-directional pivoting of the trolling motor. Examples of such mounting systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,033,530 and 3,915,417. In such systems, a telescopic upper arm including a spring is angularly mounted between the chassis affixed to the bow of the boat and the trolling motor pivotally mounted to the chassis. During a collision with an underwater object while the boat is moving in a forward direction, the trolling motor pivots about a first axis to extend the telescopic upper arm against the biasing force of the spring on the upper arm. The telescopic upper is generally only extensible in a single direction, preventing the forward thrust generated by the trolling motor from pivoting the propulsion unit in a reverse direction. To enable the lower propulsion unit to be withdrawn from the water, the trolling motor propulsion unit pivots about a second axis distinct from the first axis. Although such unidirectional bow mount systems enable more sensitive shock-absorbing members to be employed, such existing systems are extremely complex and occupy valuable space.
Thus, there is a continuing need for a trolling motor bow mount system that is simple and has fewer parts, that is lightweight and compact, that allows the trolling motor to be withdrawn from the water when not in use and that provides unidirectional obstruction-responsive pivotal movement of the trolling motor and its propulsion unit.
The present invention provides a bow mount trolling motor for a boat. The bow mount trolling motor includes a chassis adapted to be coupled to a bow of the boat, a housing pivotally coupled to the chassis about a first axis, at least one shaft extending along a second axis and movably coupled to the housing for movement along the second axis relative to the housing, a lower propulsion unit coupled to the at least one shaft, a stationary engagement surface coupled to the chassis and a resilient bias member coupled between the housing and the engagement surface.
The present invention also provides a bow mount trolling motor for use with a boat, wherein the motor includes a chassis adapted to be mounted to a bow of the boat, a lower propulsion unit and at least one shaft supporting the lower propulsion unit and pivotally coupled to the chassis about a first axis. The at least one shaft pivots in a first direction about the first axis from a deployed position to a stowed position and pivots in an opposite second direction about the first axis when the at least one shaft or the lower propulsion unit encounters an obstruction while the boat is moving in a forward direction.
The present invention also provides a bow mount trolling motor for use with a boat, wherein the motor includes a chassis adapted to be coupled to a bow of the boat, a lower propulsion unit, at least one shaft supporting the lower propulsion unit and pivotally coupled to the chassis about a first axis while extending along a second axis, a first engagement surface coupled to the chassis, a second engagement surface coupled to the at least one shaft and a resilient bias member coupled between the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface. The resilient bias member extends along an axis parallel to the second axis.
The present invention also provides a bow mount trolling motor for a boat which includes a chassis adapted to be coupled to a bow of the boat, a housing pivotally coupled to the chassis about a first axis and including a first engagement surface, at least one shaft extending along the second axis, a lower propulsion unit coupled to the at least one shaft, a coupling member moveably coupled to the housing and including a second engagement surface and a resilient bias member disposed between the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface. The coupling member is actuatable between a first position in which the coupling member is stationarily secured to the chassis against movement about the first axis and a second position in which the coupling member is movable about the first axis. The housing, the at least one shaft and a lower propulsion unit pivot in a first direction about the first axis relative to the coupling member when the coupling member is in the first position such that energy is absorbed by the resilient bias member. The coupling member, the housing, the at least one shaft and the lower propulsion unit all pivot in a second direction about the first axis to allow the lower propulsion unit to be pivoted to a stowed position when the coupling member is in the second position.